Novi, Mich., September 12, 2013 — Increasingly stringent fuel standards are motivating the automotive industry to focus on reducing the weight of vehicle components and, ultimately, improving energy efficiency while still offering style and comfort. Automakers and automotive suppliers are also keenly interested in the most efficient and cost-effective process for manufacturing a part.

Advancements in polyurethane spray sandwich systems from Bayer MaterialScience LLC are helping to meet all these goals.

Mike Super, applications development manager, Polyurethane Composites and Polyurethane Reaction Injection Molding, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, will share recent developments in this area when he presents “Evolution of an excellent lightweighting tool – Baypreg® PUR sandwich composites.” Super’s talk at 8:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 13, is part of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Composites Conference and Exhibition, which is being held through Sept. 13 in Novi, Mich.

Super will share insights into new Bayer developments that can be used to guide manufacturers on the best way to hit their specific component targets, such as part cost, thickness or weight, deflection, and bio-renewable content with different polyurethane spray sandwich technology formulations.

Super will also talk about recent advancements in formulation chemistry that are enabling a simplified spray process. For instance, traditional formulations can require carbon dioxide gas being dissolved into the polyol to improve flow of the polyurethane — especially important when spraying a complex part with multiple dimensions.

“New polyurethane systems do not require carbon dioxide nucleation, so simple, flat-part geometries, as well as complicated geometries, can now be made without nucleation,” Super said.

The new polyurethane systems release more easily from the mold. The result can contribute to lower production costs because of better demolding, more time between applications of mold release, additional time between touch-ups of mold release and less scrap due to cosmetic issues. Less mold build-up and longer usage times between mold cleanings also can help to provide more machine uptime.

Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with approximately 14,500 employees at 30 production sites around the world and 2012 sales of 11.5 billion euros. The company manufactures high-tech polymer materials and develops innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries. Sustainability is central to Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s business and is based around the key areas of innovation, product stewardship, social responsibility and respect for the environment.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

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